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Articles by topic through December 2012: Scroll down to the topic you want, or just do a simple word search. For individual issues, see immediately below.

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For every article published in the print magazine back to January 2002, become a subscriber to access our archive.

 
Admissions

Admissions Alert: Can Co-ops Legally Ask If Children Will Live in Apartment?
Admissions and Secrecy: New Law Mandates Full Disclosure 
Admissions: How to be Discriminating without Discriminating 
Admissions Interview: Arthur Weinstein on Smart, Safe Admission Policies, Part 1 
Admissions Interview: Arthur Weinstein on Smart, Safe Admission Policies, Part 2 

Admissions Made Easy: A Five-Point Plan for Approving a Co-op Buyer

Bad Boards, Bad Boards, What'cha Gonna Do? Co-op Admission Horror Stories

Co-ops of the Rich / Famous: Should You Let Limited Liability Corporations Buy?

DANGER! Co-op Admissions Interview Ahead. Learn the Latest Rules
How Co-op / Condo Background Checks Can Keep Out Criminals
Welcome Kits: The 9 Things Every Co-op and Condo Board Should Include

 

Air Conditioners See: HVAC

 

Amenities

Exercising Caution: For Co-op / Condo Gym, Liability Waiver Is No Free Pass

MAKE Money on a Roof Replacement! How a Co-op Board Sold Roof Decks

Newest Amenity: Restaurant VIP Cards! How New York Is That?

Playrooms and Child-Friendly Co-ops / Condos: Next-Generation Amenities

Resident Fees for Building Amenities: How to Set Them Fairly

Should Your Co-op / Condo Allow Washer-Dryers in Apartments?

 

Annual Meetings
The Art of the Proxy in Co-op / Condo Board Elections
The Co-op/Condo Annual Meeting and Cumulative-Vote Confusion 
Hot Topics at This Year's Annual Meetings: A Survey Report [2008]
One Co-op's Disastrous, Thrown-Out Election: How a Board Did Everything Wrong
Proxy Fights and Fair Elections
Proxy Fights: Stories from the Trenches

A Proxy Upon Your House: Things to Know to Ensure Fair Voting Procedures

Term Limits and Staggered Elections: Democratic or Just Dumb?
Voting Confidentiality

What Is Cumulative Voting and How Do You Keep It from Mucking Up Elections?

 

Apartment Renovation
Bathroom and Kitchen Renovation: The Debate Over "Wet Over Dry"

Ultimate Recycling: Free Art Deco Fixtures to Increase Your Building's Value

 

Beautification See: Quality of Life Issues

 

Bed Bugs

A Property Manager's Novel Approach to Combating Co-op / Condo Bed Bugs

Bed Bug Finders, Inc.

 Bed Bugs and Boards: The Steps One Co-op Took When Suspecting Infestation

Bed Bugs! The LATEST Need-to-Know Facts on City Regs & Combatting Critters

Co-ops, Condos, Others Can Turn to New NYC Online Bed Bug Portal

Do Ask, Do Tell ... For Now: Co-ops, Condos and Bed Bug Disclosure

From the Editor: What Do You Do When You THINK Your Co-op Has Bed Bugs?

Get Ahead of Bed Bug Problems by Addressing the Issue in House Rules

Heat Treatment Rids Apartments of Bed Bugs — by Sending Them to Neighbors'

How to Rid Your Building of Bedbugs — The Latest Breakthroughs

Phew!-migation: The Fume Cube Offers Apartment-Sized Gassing for Bed Bugs

Scout the Bed Bug-Sniffing Beagle

The New Bedbug Bill on the Governor's Desk : Of Co-op Concern or No? [June 25, 2010]

 

Board Service  
10 Books to Help Co-op / Condo Board Members 
15 Common Mistakes Made by New Board Members: A Print 'Em Out Checklist 
Authoritarian Boards, Public Rancor and One Board's Wise Compromise  
Bad Board Behavior Feeding Co-op Disclosure Bill: A Case Study 
Bad Oversight: When Boards Get Burned by Ignoring Red Flags 
Board Service in the words of board members: Richard D'Amico • Ken Daniels • Melvin Doby • Edward J. Ermler • Gerry Fifer • Gerald L. FingerhutJulie GuildCarolyn HahnAngela Hirsch • Curtis HoulihanJo Anna Isaak and Dan O'ConnellRichard Kasnia • Karen Kearney-Jimenez • Alan KramerRoberta Lawrence • Marleen Levi • Jeff Mar • Peter Morello • Michael O’BrienBruce Robertson • Richard ScorceJay Shusterhoff
Being Board President: Two Portraits of Successful Co-op Leaders — Part 1
Being Board President: Two Portraits of Successful Co-op Leaders — Part 2

Board 101: What Are the Duties of a Condo or Co-op Board President?

Board 101: What Are the Duties of a Condo or Co-op Board Treasurer?

Board 101: What Are the Duties of a Condo or Co-op Board Secretary?

Board Service: Here's Why It Takes So Long for Co-ops to Approve Your Buy

Breakfast with a Board Member: Consensus, Not Confrontation

The Common Sense "Secrets" to Running Good Board Meetings

Condo Board Special: A Lawyer Tells All About Your Governing Documents

Co-op Believe-It-or-Not: Three Tales of One Beleaguered Board

Co-op Board Faction Stages Walkout to Prevent Quorum. Or So It Thought....
Co-op Board Leadership: Four Portraits, Part 1 
Co-op Board Leadership: Four Portraits, Part 2 

Co-op Board Misdeeds: Should You Turn Your Board In? When Must You?
Co-op / Condo E-mail Danger: How Not to Get Sued Over What You Say

Co-op / Condo Primer: What Do Board Officers Do?

Co-op Coup! Midnight Elections, Competing Boards and a Divided Building

Corruption or Honest Mistake, Co-op City Scandal Taints Its Board
Dear Resident: Co-op / Condo Board Members Need Care and Feeding, Too
Decision-Making without Tears: Implementing New Policies Effectively 
The Dire Effect of Board Disharmony: Learning from Morningside Gardens

Dirty Tricks and Sneak Attacks Oust a Condo-Board President

Don't Rely on Memory: Why an Archive of Policies and Procedures Is a Must
Experience Counts: Two Very Senior Board Members Cut Out the Clutter 
Fresh Blood on a Board Saves a Co-op: Saga of the Crumbling Alameda, Part 1 
Fresh Blood on a Board Saves a Co-op: Saga of the Crumbling Alameda, Part 2

Hooray! I've Just Been Elected to My Co-op / Condo Board! ... Now What?
How Co-op / Condo Board Presidents Can Reinvigorate a Bored Board

How Transparency Helped Implement Big Changes and Win Over Shareholders
How to Turn Around a Troubled Building: A Case Study 
Lessons of a Board Outside the Box: How Unorthodox Thinking Saved a Co-op

Meeting Minutes: How Much Detail Goes In? To Whom Should Minutes Go Out?

Mix'n'match Board Members' Skills: You've Got Experts All Around You!

New Board Members' Common Rookie Mistakes and How to Avoid them
New Building, New Board: A Primer on How to Serve

Nobody Lives Forever: Grooming Your Co-op / Condo Board Replacement
Organizing with Other Board Presidents: Join the Club! 
Ousting a Board Member: How to Remove Disruptive Troublemakers 

Private Loans from Co-op / Condo Reserves: Good Idea? Oh, no, no, no, no

Running an Effective Board Meeting: A Little Agenda Goes a Long Way
Performance Analytics to Quell Performance Anxiety

Relieving Board-Members' Burdens through Volunteer Committees

Residents Should Be Involved, to a Point. How to Avoid Their Usurping Authority

Secrets of a Board Treasurer: Read This and Reduce Your Learning Curve!

Should Co-op / Condo Board Members be Paid?

To Recuse or Not to Recuse? That Is the Question an Attorney Answers

Toxic Co-op / Condo Boards: Why Your Professionals May Want to Drop You
Things Co-op / Condo Boards Should Learn from Recent [July 2010] News

When Leadership Means Prodding a Board to Spend Money to Save Money

Working-Class Heroes: Real-Life Lessons from HFDC Co-op Boards

 
Boiler / Oil
10 Co-op / Condo Energy Myths Debunked
Boilers: Repair or Replace? Four Boards Solve Four Common Problems 
Cleaning Out Air — and Wallet? Governor Signs Bill Reducing Heating-Oil Sulfur 
Converting from Oil Heat to Gas Heat: A Primer

A Co-op Slashes Water, Fuel & Upkeep Costs with an Energy-Efficient Boiler

Dual-Fuel in Riverdale: How One Co-op Saves Big and How You Can, Too

FAQ Check: The Basics on Boilers, Burners and Oil vs. Gas Heat

Heating-Oil Scams 

Heating Oil and Natural Gas Prices Up, Up, Up: An Overview of What to Do (Winter 2011-12)
Leaking Underground Oil Tank? Fixing Things Is Not a Tank-less Job!

New Board Members' Common Rookie Mistakes and How to Avoid them
NYC's Upcoming Clean-Oil Rules: Myths & Facts for Your Co-op / Condo

Oil Spills and Six-Figure Fines: A Primer for Co-ops and Condos 
Old Boilers: Repair or Replace? Lessons from One Co-op's Experience

Should You Switch from Oil to Gas Heat? How One Condo Made the Decision

Sorry, No Tanks: A Brief Introduction to Tankless Water Heaters

Switching from Oil to Natural Gas: The Process and What to Watch Out For

TRV: A Totally Rad Vision of a Simple Device That Stops Costly Overheating

The Upcoming Biofuel Mandate & Tax Breaks: One Co-op's "Soyful" Experience

Your Boiler Is Too Big! How Co-ops & Condos Can Save on Fuel Costs

 

Budget: See Finances and Budget
 
Building Upkeep
Co-op & Condo Boards Adjust to Co$tly New Site-Safety Enforcement
Façade Cleaning: Taking a Shine to Your Building
Heating, Insulation, Maintenance: Prepping Your Building for Winter
Preventive Maintenance … Prevents Death and Disaster. For Real

Sewer-Pipe Primer: Two Engineers Explain When to Repair or to Replace

Structural Tests Can Save Money — and Lives

Vendor Contracts That Protect You: An Attorney's Three Simple Steps
Walkthrough Inspections: A Less-Costly Alternative to Full Building Reports
 
Buying and Selling Apartments

8 Steps to Stop the Government from Killing Your Co-op / Condo's Sales

Bad Boards, Bad Boards, What'cha Gonna Do? Co-op Admission Horror Stories

Buy! Buy! My Darling!: How to Get a New York City Apartment the Pulp Fiction Way

Buyer Beware: Don't Rely on Board Promises If the Documents Contradict

The Co-op Flip Tax: Latest Findings from the 2011 Habitat Survey

Co-op Flip Taxes: The Latest Court Decisions — And Dangers! — in 2011
Depending on Flip Taxes: Bad Bet or Sure Thing?

Fed Backs Down as Co-op / Condo Community Unites on Flip-Tax Issue
Flip-Tax Blowback: The Dangers of Implementing with No Shareholder Vote 
Flip Taxes: Board Members Tell How They Passed Them — Or Didn't 
Flip Taxes: Court Confusion Over Implementing Them Legitimately, Part 1  
Flip Taxes: Court Confusion Over Implementing Them Legitimately, Part 2
Govt. Set to Abolish Flip Taxes Unless Co-op/Condo Boards Act Now!

How Co-op Boards Can Allow Sales of Apartments to Corporations ... and Live!

The "Inter Vivos" Issue: Gifting Yourself Doesn't Avoid Co-op Transfer Rules

International Ownership: The Ins & Outs of Foreign Buyers
Reveal Co-op / Condo Minutes to Apt. Buyers? A Top Attorney Gives the Facts
Right of First Refusal: Flipping a Below-Market Apartment 
Setting Minimum Prices for Apartment Sales: Are Boards Allowed?

Saving Time, Money and Trees: New, Free Online Database of Offering Plans

Saving Your Sale: How to Help Ensure Your Apartment Appraisal is Accurate

Splitting Heirs: 1996 Co-op Law Change Impacts Married Owners After Death

Two Shareholders' Personal Animus Keeps a Board Prez's Sale Unapproved

Updating Your Flip Tax: How One Co-op Did It 
Using "Right of First Refusal" to Stop Below-Market Co-op & Condo Sales 
When Is a Flip Tax Not a Flip Tax?

Why Your Apartment's Appraised Value Is Too Low — And What to Do About It

 

Bylaws: See House Rules and Bylaws

 

Capital Improvements
10 Ways to Save on Co-op/Condo Capital Projects: A Print 'Em Out Checklist 
$35 Million Makeover: Saving a Sinking Ship 

A Board Treasurer Tells: How One Condo Built Reserves Without Assessments
Alterations, Not Altercations 
Babe Roof: A Complex in The Bronx Gets Some Beautiful New Surfaces 
Being Koi: How One Ordinary Co-op Created an Extraordinary Garden 
Bidding Capital-Improvement Contractors
Co-op & Condo Boards Adjust to Co$tly New Site-Safety Enforcement 
Co-op Cost-Effectively Copies a Candela Cornice: An Upper West Side Tale 
Doing Due Diligence on Capital-Improvement Projects: Some Easy Steps

Engineers Tell Everything You Need to Know on Co-op / Condo Balcony Repair
Fire Escapes: How to Inspect and Refurbish Without Burning Money 
Found in Yonkers: A Roof Renovation Without Drama 
High-Tech Waterproofing: There's More Than One Way to Skin a Co-op 
Landmark Lampposts for a Greenwich Village Co-op: Go South, Young Man 
Lobby Restoration: Returning Opulence to a Historic Building's Entranceway 
Major Capital Improvements: The Lessons of Lido Beach Towers 
Major Projects Need Major Communication
Prioritizing Repairs When Your Co-op / Condo Board Has No Money
Projects Around Town

Replacing Co-op / Condo Windows: Three Very Different Cases 
Replacing a Cornice is No Easy Task 
Rockefeller Apts — Fixing Up a Landmark

Saving Money by Spending Money: The Building Improvements that Do It
Scaffolding: A Primer
Sea Change at Atlantic Towers: Redoing Lobbies from Institutional to Incredible
Smart Ways to Handle Capital-Project Change Orders and Save Money
Unfunded Mandates: Why Other People's Problems Add to Co-op & Condo Costs

When Contractor Leaves Debris Out, A Trip-and-Fall May Still Be Building's Fault

Why Lobby and Hallway Renovation Is Critical to Keeping Up Apartments' Value
Window Replacement: No Pane, No Gain

Windows to the Soul of East Midtown Plaza: Capital Project Goes to Court

 

Cogeneration

Homemade Electricity: An Introduction to Cogeneration for Co-ops and Condos

A Queens Co-op Slashes Its Electric Bill by 85%. How? With Cogeneration

 

Communication

Communicating with Your Property Manager: How to Do It Right

Co-op & Condo Communication: Getting Linked with Building Web Apps

Damage Control and Image Control: How Co-ops & Condos Can Handle Press

How Transparency Helped Implement Big Changes and Win Over Shareholders

Here's the Bad News: Ways of Effectively Communicating Tough Decisions

New Buyers Beware the "Imperious" Co-op/Condo Board — Or IS It?

Newsletters or No? A Myriad of Ways Co-op / Condo Boards Can Communicate

When Your Co-op / Condo Is in the News It's Critical to Get Your Side Told

 

Contractors
Bidding Capital-Improvement Contractors
Contracting a Quality Contractor
Criminal Contractors: New York Launches Complaint / Violations Website
New EPA Lead-Paint Rule: How Co-ops & Condos Can Protect Themselves
Service-Provider Tips: First in a Series of Print 'Em Out Checklists
 
Commercial Tenants: See Retail Space
 
Conversion / Sponsor 
Boards Fighting Back When Sponsors Illegally Refuse to Sell Shares 
Condo Sponsor Defaults: How to Prepare for a Chilling Possibility 
Cond-ops: A Horror Story 
Dealing with a Sponsor Default 
How Co-op / Condo Boards Can Get Free of Sponsors as Property Managers

Lawyers Say: You CAN Recover Cash If Condo Sponsors Underfund Reserves

New-Construction Condo Woes: How to Take On Your Sponsor the Smart Way

Revised State Law Fights Self-Dealing by Condo / Co-op Sponsors

Saving the Sheffield: How Sponsor & Residents Rescued a Condo
Shoddy and Dangerous New Construction: Brand-New Boards Fight Back 
Sponsor Good, Sponsor Bad: Two Case Studies

Three Steps a New Condo Board Must Take when Construction Is Defective

When Sponsors Hold Sway, What Can Resident Co-op Board Members Do?

When Sponsors Refuse to Sell Apartments: Co-ops In Name Only, Part 1 
When Sponsors Refuse to Sell Apartments: Co-ops In Name Only, Part 2

 

Disability

The Americans with Disabilities Act Affects Your Building's Retail Spaces

Boards vs.the Disabled: The Shameful Case of Churchville Greene

"Disability Dog" Scams: NYC Explains How to Tell Them from Legitimate Claims

How One Board's Fight Against a Therapy Dog Became a Federal Case

NYC Condo Board Rejects Wheelchair Lift for Cerebral Palsy Girl

Pit Bulls as Therapy Dogs: Navigating Legal Dangers of "Dangerous Breeds"

Scam Alert: Pet-Owners Who Falsely Claim Disability Buy Dog "Certification"

Service Animals in Co-ops / Condos: The Law and What Boards Should Require

What Is a 'Reasonable Accommodation' for Disabled? What Boards Must Know!

When a Co-op Board Forbidding a Dog Helped Save a Woman's Life

When Supers Become Disabled: What Happens Now?

 
Editorials 

Co-op Op-Ed: Why Boards Have Bad Reputations – And What to Do About It

Demand to Know: Where Do Politicians Stand on Co-op and Condo Issues?

From the Editor: A False Accusation of Co-op / Condo Board Conflict-of-Interest
From the Editor: Building Staff — Both a Family Affair and a Different World 
From the Editor: Communication, Communication, Communication

From the Editor: Co-op / Condo Lies — and Liars
From the Editor: Dealing with Death Threats

From the Editor: How to Get Smart About Illegal Sublets
From the Editor: How Would YOU Handle the Case of the Capricious Cooperator?

From the Editor: Inside a Co-op Special Meeting — What Went Wrong and Why
From the Editor: A Permanent Proxy Increases Attendance at Annual Meetings 
From the Editor: Security Is Everybody's Business 
From the Editor: Self-Management Perils and Possibilities
From the Editor: Should Board Members Be Paid?
From the Editor: Snake Oil Salesmen Who Prey on Co-op and Condo Boards 
From the Editor: Things That Go Bump in the Night 

From the Editor: What Do You Do When You THINK Your Co-op Has Bed Bugs?
From the Editor: When a Dog in Your Building Needs to Leave 

From the Editor: When Maligned Co-op / Condo Boards Face Paranoid Residents
From the Editor: Whither Perry Mason

Glenn Beck Attacks Co-op City. He's Attacking the American Dream.

Op-Ed: Engineer's Plea for Responsible Energy Policies for Co-ops and Condos

 

Elevator
Co-ops/Condos Face Costly New Elevator Code Two Years After Last One

How to Make It Easier on Residents When the Elevator Is Out for Weeks

Minimizing Homeowner Discomfort by Smart Scheduling of Elevator Work
New Elevator Inspection Code — and Related New Costs
Regenerative Elevator Drives May Save Energy — and Dollars
Replacing Your Co-op / Condo Elevator without Descending into Hell
Unfunded Mandates: Why Other People's Problems Add to Co-op & Condo Costs

Using Your Roof, and Other Creative Tips to Make Elevator Replacement Easier

Yes, You Can Fast-Track Elevator Replacement / Repair. Here's How

 
Emergencies / Disaster

A CALL FOR IDEAS: What Can Boards Do to Prepare for Power Outages?

Blizzard-Safety Alert: What Co-op / Condo Boards Must Do to Keep Buildings Safe

CPR Training and Heart Defibrillators: Why Your Building Should Have Them
Crisis Management: What to Do When Disaster Strikes

Digging Out in Long Beach: Sandy Cleanup Continues as New Storm Looms

Disaster Basics: Four Critical Steps Boards Must Take Before the Next Storm

Emergency Evacuation! A Co-op Board President Gives His Firsthand Account
Emergency Preparedness for Co-ops and Condos 

FIRE! How To Handle the Emergency, What Critical Steps to Take Afterward

Fixing a Condo Catastrophe Without Litigation: The Tale of 325 Fifth Avenue

Hurricane Sandy's Aftermath: Building Managers' Notes from the Field

In Sandy's Wake: Perfect Storm Leaves Co-ops, Condos Coping and Helping

Superstorm Sandy: Federal Help Exists for Co-op and Condo Associations

Two Managers' Innovative Solutions for Temporary Water and Electricity

 
Energy Savings See also: Greening
10 Co-op / Condo Energy Myths Debunked

Changes Coming to NYSERDA Low-Interest Energy Loans

City Offers Co-op / Condo Boards Help with Mandated Energy Benchmarking

Co-ops & Condos Prepare for the Repeal of a $75 Million Energy Tax Break

Did You Know ... Some Management Companies Are Also Energy Brokers?

Dual-Fuel in Riverdale: How One Co-op Saves Big and How You Can, Too

Electricity: Saving by Submetering 

Energy-Benchmarking Scores Go Public Next Year. Will Your Building Look Bad?

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Submetering? You Take These Steps…
How Heat Balance Can Help Your Checkbook Balance 
Johnny DEP: Free NYC Water-Leak Audits Find Savings in Kitchens & Bath 
New Energy Conservation Code: What Will It Cost NYC Co-ops & Condos?

NY State Soliciting Public Comments on Proposed New Submetering Regulations

Pooling Your Options: Buying Energy in Bulk … with Other Buildings
Power Companies Overcharging Some Co-ops & Condos: How to Stop Them
Regenerative Elevator Drives May Save Energy — and Dollars 
Shareholders Will Vote for Submetering — If You Pitch It Effectively. Here's How 
Submetering 930 Apartments: If They Can Do Theirs, You Can Yours!

Submetering Struggle: Co-op's Battle to Lower Electric Costs Despite Residents

Switching from Oil to Natural Gas: The Process and What to Watch Out For

Taming the Wild Hog: How a Luxury Condo Cut Its Bloated Electric Bill

Using Energy Brokers to Shop for Gas and Electric Services  
What is NYSERDA? 
 
Exterior Repair See: Capital Improvements
 
Finances and Budget See also: Mortgage / Loan / Refinancing
10 Signs of Co-op / Condo Financial Trouble: A Print 'Em Out Checklist 

A Board Treasurer Tells: How One Condo Built Reserves Without Assessments

All About Sidewalk Sheds: You Know You'll Have One Eventually

Are You Contributing Too Much to Your Co-op / Condo Reserve Fund?

Avoiding Mistakes with Condo Association Budget Surpluses. Yes, Surpluses
Being Proactive to Avoid Assessments, Save Money and Improve Your Building 

Co-op / Condo Boards & Residents: Do YOU Know These Critical Budget Items?
Cutting Costs Today: The Right — and Dangerously Wrong — Ways to Do It 

Fallout from the Economic Slump: Surviving 2012's New Financial Realities 
Fighting Back When Bonus-Engorged Banks Still Nickel & Dime Your Building 
Financial Crisis Special Report: Avoiding Auction-Rate Securities in Reserve Funds 
Financial Disaster: How to Recover, How to Avoid: Part I 
Financial Disaster: How to Recover, How to Avoid: Part II 
Financial Management Tips: Second in a Series of Print 'Em Out Checklists 

Flat Fee vs. Hourly Rate: Attorneys Argue Before the Court of Board Opinion

Flat-Rate Attorney Retainers: A New Order in the Court? 
Income Stream: A Primer 
Investing Reserve Funds for Fun and Profit 

Is Your Co-op Maintenance Too High? Too Low? Find Out Here Now
LTV: How Lenders Decide What You're Worth 
Money Alert! When Managers Comingle Different Buildings' Bank Accounts 

The Marriott Model: How a Middle-Class Co-op Put a Million in the Bank
New Auditing Guidelines: Two Accountants Add Up the Stricter Rules 
The Old 80/20 Ends, New Income Begins 
Prioritizing Repairs When Your Co-op / Condo Board Has No Money

Private Loans from Co-op / Condo Reserves: Good Idea? Oh, no, no, no, no
Protecting Your Reserve Fund 
Recovering from Economic Catastrophe: Lessons of Parkway Village

"Rep Letters": What Apartment Owners Should Know About This Financial Tool

So How Exactly Should Co-op / Condo Boards Use Their CPA? Like This

Special 4-Part Report: What You MUST Know for the 2013 Budget. Part 1: Taxes

Special 4-Part Report: Preparing Your 2013 Budget. Part 2: Water, Payroll

Special 4-Part Report: Preparing Your 2013 Budget. Part 3: Insurance

Special 4-Part Report: Preparing Your 2013 Budget. Part 4: Fuel Oil

Teach Your Residents Well: Financial Statements 

Thinking Ahead: How Long-Range Planning Is Critical for Co-ops / Condos
Tracking Monthly Charges — Automatically 
Updating the Proprietary Lease and Bylaws to Avoid Financial Disaster
Upping Your Co-op / Condo Reserve Fund: Six Savvy Solutions
Using "Right of First Refusal" to Stop Below-Market Co-op & Condo Sales
What Do We Do When a Condo Owner or Co-op Shareholder Goes Bankrupt?

When Shareholders Fail to Pay, Small Co-ops Have Big Problems. What to Do?

Why You Need To Update Your Co-op's Proprietary Lease — Today!

 

Flip Tax See: Buying and Selling Apartments
 
Foreclosure 
Apartment Foreclosures: How to Deal with Them — and Make Deals 

Court Tells Board in Foreclosure Case: The Guy Paid. What Else You Want?

Don't Become a Textbook Case: How One Co-op Board Flubbed a Foreclosure

Empty Units in Foreclosure: A Lawyer Says Rent 'em Out — It's Legal!

Opportunity in a Shareholder's Misfortune: Sublet Limits Force a Foreclosure 
Reconsidering Sublets to Forestall Foreclosures 
Shareholder Hardship: Balancing Your Fiduciary Obligations and a Helping Hand 
Surprise Foreclosures: What Are a Board's Rights?

Think Your Condo Board Is Helpless When a Bank Delays Foreclosure? Hah!

When a Shareholder Is About to Default, Should the Co-op Buy the Apartment?

Who Owns a Co-op Apartment When You Win a Foreclosure? Maybe Not You
 
Fraud / Corruption

An Attorney Warns: Don't Fall for the "Façade Easement" Tax Scam!

Co-op Board Misdeeds: Should You Turn Your Board In? When Must You?

Co-op / Condo Bank Accounts Victims of Low-Tech Scam
Co-op / Condo Embezzlement: Latest Scams, Timeless Lessons
Co-op / Condo Fraud Is Back, Baby! Here's How to Spot It — And Stop It
Co-op / Condo Managing Agent Arrested and Charged with Grand Larceny
Co-op Treasurer Charged with Embezzling $181K; Residents Outraged

Condo Apartment in Foreclosure Limbo. Get the Unhelpful Bank on Your Side.

Corruption in Mitchell-Lama Co-ops! How Boards Can Fight Back

Deftco Dupe: How a Finance Company May Have Ripped Off Four Co-ops

"Disability Dog" Scams: NYC Explains How to Tell Them from Legitimate Claims
Fighting Accounting Fraud: A Real-Estate CPA Tells You How
Forensic Accounting: Four Cautionary Tales of Corruption

Fraud? No, Just a Scam: How Co-op & Condo Boards Can Avoid Little Rip-offs
How Co-op & Condo Boards Can Recognize "The Fraud Triangle"

Scam Alert: Pet-Owners Who Falsely Claim Disability Buy Dog "Certification"

 
Garage See: Parking Garage
 
Greening

10 Co-op / Condo Energy Myths Debunked

10 Practical Ways to Green Your Building: A Print 'Em Out Checklist 
Adding Solar Energy: How Two Savings-Conscious Boards Did It 
Assembly Passes Green-Roof Bill 
Biofuel Basics: From "Oy!" to Soy 
Changes Coming to NYSERDA Low-Interest Energy Loans

Clean-Burning Co-ops & Condos: New Laws, New Pressures, New Tech

Co-op Spearheads Electric-Vehicle Push with Chargers Open to Public

Cool Roof, Blue Roof, Green Roof ... Your Roof? Latest Eco-Friendly Options
Environmentally Friendly Flooring

Fluorescent Lights May Be Polluting Your Air! How Co-ops / Condos Can Remedy
Free Greening Info: Environmental Group Makes House Calls to Your Boardroom 
Free Greening Program: Save the Planet, One Super at a Time 
Geothermal Ain't Gee-Whiz 
Going Green on the Cheap: How You Can Start Today

Grease Is the Word ... for a New DEP Program for Residential Buildings
Green Cleaning Products Can Actually Save You Money 
Green New Products 
Green Retrofitting: Start with an Energy Audit 
Green-Roof Tax Incentives: Environmental Change Giving You a Chunk of Change 
Green-Roofs Tax Abatement and Alt-Energy Initiatives Signed Into Law 
Green Supers: A Property Mgr. Takes the Free Union Workshop and Reports
Green Supers Workshop: A Property Manager's Report from Day Two
Green Supers Workshop: Day Three 
Greening Your Roof: You Can Do It, and It'll Be Great. Here's How, and Why… 
Host Workshop, Get Free Light Bulbs: Going "Green from the Ground Up" 
How Older Buildings Can Go Green by Taking the LEED 
Johnny DEP: Free NYC Water-Leak Audits Find Savings in Kitchens & Bath 
A Manager Goes Green, One Step at a Time 
Microturbines: Thinking Small to Save Big 
New Energy Conservation Code: What Will It Cost NYC Co-ops & Condos?
New Lender Offers Co-ops / Condos Competitive Mortgages to Go Green
New State Green Incentive Includes Co-ops, Condos 
NYC Introduces Legislation Mandating Green Upgrades to Large Buildings 

NYC's Upcoming Clean-Oil Rules: Myths & Facts for Your Co-op / Condo

 Proper Recycling Is Complicated. Good Thing There's This Free Monthly Seminar

Solar Power 2009: New Tax Breaks and More Help Boards See It in a New Light 
Solar Power DIY: Kilowatts without Killing Yourself 
The Stimulus Plan's New Tax Credits and More for Green Building Projects

Sun Spot: Park Slope Co-op Goes 'Solar Thermal' to Heat Its Water. Should You?

The Upcoming Biofuel Mandate & Tax Breaks: One Co-op's "Soyful" Experience
Urban Farming: Co-ops Join the National Trend Toward DIY Food

 

House Rules and Bylaws

All About House Rules

Enforcing Co-op / Condo Rules: How to Avoid Waiver and Selective Enforcement

Get Ahead of Bed Bug Problems by Addressing the Issue in House Rules

House Rules: How Much Power Do Co-op Boards Really Have?

House Rules and Building Etiquette for Professional Dog-Walkers

Is Your Co-op / Condo Board Overregulating Rule Violations?

Listen Up: What Happens When Co-op / Condo Owners Request a Board Hearing

New Court Ruling Should Prompt Co-ops & Condos to Update BBQ Rules Now

Openly Defiant Rule-Breaker Says, "Go to Hell!" Board Says, "Go to Court!"

 

HVAC 
Window Air Conditioners: An Engineer's and an Architect's Guidelines … and Warnings 
 
Insurance

Board Member / Insurance Pro Reveals: Secrets of Controlling Insurance Costs
Buying Insurance in a Soft Market: How to Negotiate a Good Deal 
Co-op Apartment Damage: Who Should Carry Insurance, Who Pays for Repairs? 
Co-op/Condo Insurance and Reducing Liability: A Print 'Em Out Checklist 

Have Your Insurance Carrier Review Contractors' Certificate of Insurance

Insurance Headaches Arise When Proprietary Lease Is Worded Certain Way

Insurance Policy Basics — and Secrets
More Insurance Shenanigans: An Attorney Exposes an Outrageous Loophole
Unseen Danger! When Roof Damage Goes Undetected Because of No Leak

 

Laundry Room
Laundry-Room Contracts: How Not to Get Soaked
Laundry Rooms: Cleaning Up with Coinless Card Systems
 
Laws, New York City/State See also: Local Law 11/98
Admissions and Secrecy: New Law Mandates Full Disclosure
Billboards on Co-ops/Condos: How to Make Money on Signage & Avoid Fines
Building Violations: What Happens when There's No Quick Fix?

Can Violation-Tracking Companies Save Your Co-op / Condo Money?
City Council Passes Water-Tower Inspection Bill

City Offers Co-op / Condo Boards Help with Mandated Energy Benchmarking

City's New "Lawn Litter" Law: Two Steps You Can Take to Stop Unwanted Menus

Clean-Burning Co-ops & Condos: New Laws, New Pressures, New Tech
Cleaning Out Air — and Wallet? Governor Signs Bill Reducing Heating-Oil Sulfur
Co-op / Condo Boards' Impossible Deadline: Comply with New Fire Law by June 2 [2010]

Co-op / Condo Ombudsman Bill Making Its Way through State Senate
Co-op & Condo Boards Adjust to Co$tly New Site-Safety Enforcement
Co-ops and Condos Face New Anti-Graffiti Law
Co-ops & Condos Gain Voice in NY City Council — New Caucus Formed

Do Ask, Do Tell ... For Now: Co-ops, Condos and Bed Bug Disclosure
Local Law 48: The Creeping Horror
Negligent Sponsors: New Enforcement Against Them by the Attorney General

New Crackdown on Co-ops/Condos: Are YOUR Backflow Preventers in Place?
New Energy Conservation Code: What Will It Cost NYC Co-ops & Condos? 
The New Identity-Theft Law: Secrets Servicing

New Law Would Ban Short-Term Co-op & Condo Rentals

NYC's Upcoming Clean-Oil Rules: Myths & Facts for Your Co-op / Condo

Noise Complaints and the New 2007 Law

Revised State Law Fights Self-Dealing by Condo / Co-op Sponsors
Sanitation Inspectors Go High-Tech: How to Challenge Computerized Citations
Unfunded Mandates: Why Other People's Problems Add to Co-op & Condo Costs
Water Tank Woes: New York City Co-ops & Condos Face Flurry of Violations
What Happens when NYC Won't Clear a Stop-Work Order That's Been Resolved?

 

Lead Paint

Does Your Building Have to Test for Lead Paint When Renovating Common Areas?

New EPA Lead-Paint Rule: How Co-ops & Condos Can Protect Themselves 

Testing for Lead Paint Before Renovating Common Areas: Some Options

 

Legal Issues See also: Local Law 11/98
Apartment Access: A Key Issue
Attorneys Tell: How Condo Boards Can Win When Sued for Delaying Apt. Repairs

Can a Lawsuit Hold Board Members Individually Liable?

Can Co-op / Condo Owners View a Board's Draft of Meeting Minutes?

Co-op Board Misdeeds: Should You Turn Your Board In? When Must You?

Condo Board Sues: Your Renter Pleaded Guilty to Prostitution — Why No Eviction?

Co-op Boards and Shareholder Evictions: New Court Ruling Limits Pull of 'Pullman'

Co-op / Condo Boards Must Be Flexible on Issues of Flying the U.S. Flag

Co-op / Condo E-mail Danger: How Not to Get Sued Over What You Say 
Co-op Crime: What You Can and Must Do Against Criminal Activity in Apartments

Common Walls, Common Problems: Who Fixes What When Buildings Share a Wall?

Condo Board Special: A Lawyer Tells All About Your Governing Documents

Court Affirms Co-op Boards Can Target Individuals & Have Powers Not in Lease

Courts Seldom Let Individual Board Members Get Sued. Except When….
Evicting a Shareholder Unilaterally
Exercising Caution: For Co-op / Condo Gym, Liability Waiver Is No Free Pass

For Whom the Bill Tolls: Board Sues AT&T for 18 Years' Cell-Tower Electricity

Handling a Hoarder Badly: Don't Dispose of Belongings without a Court Order

Holiday Decoration Policies for Co-ops & Condos: From Humbug to How-to

Hell's Kitchen Heat: A "Derivative Action" Suit vs. a Co-op Board Backfires Badly

How One Board's Fight Against a Therapy Dog Became a Federal Case

If the Cure Costs More than the Crime, It May Not Pay to Pursue Legal Fees

Inherit the Wind(fall): Passing-on Apartments when Owners Pass On
Keys and Access to Co-op / Condo Apts: What Are Boards' Entry Rights? 
Law Lessons, Part 1: The Case of the Contentious Cooperator 

Law Lessons, Part 2: The Case of the Disruptive Director 
Law Lessons, Part 3: The Case of the Reckless Russians 
Law Lessons, Part 4: The Case of the Incomplete Condo 
Litigation and How to Avoid It
Must Co-ops Make Paint/Decoration Repairs After Exploratory Work in Apts.?
The New Bedbug Bill on the Governor's Desk : Of Co-op Concern or No?

New Condo Going Up Next-Door: What to Do when Developer Threatens to Sue

New Court Ruling: Who Gets the Co-op When You're Divorced ... and Dead? 
Plaza Condo Owners Hit by Lien

A "Pullman" Proposal to Help Condo Associations Remove Toxic Owners

Radiator Leaks: Are Boards Responsible for Damages Caused? Well, Yes and No

Reducing Legal Fees: A Ten-Step Program

Ruling [in The Dakota Discrimination Case] May Pose Liability Risks for Board Members
Scam or Useful Service? The Corporate Records Compliance Office Speaks

Seniors Talk the Talk, Board Says Take a Walk: Co-op Controversy Spills into Media 

Shoddy and Dangerous New Construction: Brand-New Boards Fight Back

Survivorship and Same-Sex Mariage: Are Gay Couples Still Unequal in Co-ops?

Vendor Contracts That Protect You: An Attorney's Three Simple Steps

When Contractor Leaves Debris Out, A Trip-and-Fall May Still Be Building's Fault

When Default Looms and You Haven't Enough Reserves: All Is Not Lost

When Suing a Co-op Board, Should You Sue Individual Members? Here's When

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Creative: Settle and Buy Them Out

You've Paid for a Roof Deck. Co-op Says Tough Luck, Roof's Bad. Now What?

 
Local Law 11/98

Co-ops & Condos Caught as DOB Steps Up Local Law 11 Enforcement
Local Law 11: A Primer
Scaffolding: A Primer

 

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